europeAn COMMUNITIes
***
EUROSTAT
C/0 / Luxembourg, 2.5.2003
Doc. CARDS n° 11
DOCUMENT FOR INTERNAL USE
USER GUIDE
on
External Trade Statistics
Agenda item 11
1
/ EUROPEAN COMMISSIONEUROSTAT
Directorate C: Information and dissemination; transport; technical cooperation with non-member countries (except phare and tacis countries); external and intra-community trade statistics
Unit C-4: Methodology, nomenclature and statistics of external and intra-Community trade
Statistics on the trading of goods
User Guide
November 2002
User Guide
Contents / Paragraphs / Page numbers1. / Introduction
1.0 / Purpose of the user guide / 1 – 5 / 5
1.1 / Use of international trade statistics / 6 – 11 / 5
1.2 / Links with balance of payments and national accounts / 12 – 15 / 6
1.3 / Institutional framework / 7
1.3.0 / General / 16 / 7
1.3.1 / National authorities / 17 / 7
1.3.2 / Community authorities / 18 – 21 / 7
1.4 / Legal background / 8
1.4.0 / General / 22 – 24 / 8
1.4.1 / Intra-European Union trade / 25 – 29 / 9
1.4.2 / Extra-European Union trade / 30 – 32 / 9
1.4.3 / Other Community legislation / 33 / 10
1.4.4 / International recommendations and provisions / 34 – 35 / 10
1.4.5 / National legislation / 36 – 37 / 10
2. / Methods / 11
2.0 / General / 38- 42 / 11
2.1 / Trade systems / 11
2.1.1 / General trade and special trade / 43 – 49 / 11
2.1.2 / Intra-European Union trade / 50 – 54 / 12
2.1.3 / Extra-European Union trade / 55 – 59 / 13
2.2 / Coverage / 60 – 73 / 14
2.3 / Exclusions / 74 – 77 / 15
2.4 / Specific movements / 78 – 82 / 16
2.5 / Statistical territory / 83 / 17
2.6 / Nomenclatures and classifications / 17
2.6.0 / General / 84 / 17
2.6.1 / Product classifications / 17
2.6.1.1 / Combined Nomenclature / 85 – 89 / 17
2.6.1.2 / TARIC / 90 / 18
2.6.1.3 / Standard International Trade Classification / 91 – 92 / 18
2.6.1.4 / Other product classifications / 93 – 97 / 19
2.6.2 / Classification by activity / 98 – 99 / 19
2.6.3 / Nomenclature of countries and territories / 100 – 102 / 20
2.7 / Reference period / 103 – 106 / 20
2.8 / Statistical thresholds / 21
2.8.0 / General / 107 / 21
2.8.1 / Intra-EU trade thresholds / 108 – 115 / 21
2.8.2 / Extra-EU trade threshold / 116 – 117 / 22
2.9 / Statistical data / 22
2.9.1 / Intra-EU trade data / 118 / 22
2.9.2 / Extra-EU trade data / 119 – 120 / 23
2.10 / Statistical procedure / 23
2.10.0 / General / 121 – 122 / 23
2.10.1 / Normal imports and exports / 123 / 23
2.10.2 / Inward processing trade / 124 – 127 / 23
2.10.3 / Outward processing trade / 128 – 129 / 24
2.11 / Partner country allocation / 130 – 134 / 24
2.12 / Valuation / 135 – 138 / 25
2.13 / Quantity measurement / 25
2.13.1 / Net mass / 139 – 140 / 25
2.13.2 / Supplementary units / 141 – 142 / 26
2.14 / Transport data / 26
2.14.1 / Mode of transport / 143 – 145 / 26
2.14.2 / Nationality of means of transport / 146 / 27
2.14.3 / Containerisation / 147 / 27
2.15 / Confidentiality (methodology) / 27
2.15.1 / Confidential data / 148 – 149 / 27
2.15.2 / Passive confidentiality / 150 / 27
2.15.3 / Active confidentiality / 151 / 27
2.15.4 / Product confidentiality / 152 / 28
2.15.5 / Country confidentiality / 153 / 28
2.16 / Statistical discrepancies and asymmetries / 28
2.16.1 / Asymmetries and “mirror” statistics / 154 – 159 / 28
2.16.2 / Intra-EU statistical discrepancies / 160 – 172 / 29
2.16.3 / Extra-EU statistical discrepancies / 173 – 175 / 31
2.17 / Methodological differences / 32
2.17.1 / Differences between Community and national figures / 176 – 182 / 32
2.17.2 / Differences between Community figures and other international sources / 183 – 188 / 33
3. / Data collection / 34
3.0 / General / 189 – 190 / 34
3.1 / Data sources / 191 – 196 / 34
3.2 / Register of Providers of Statistical Information (PSIs) / 197 – 198 / 35
3.3 / Data transmission / 199 – 202 / 35
4. / Data processing and analysis / 36
4.1 / Quality control / 203 – 212 / 36
4.2 / Adjustments / 37
4.2.0 / General / 213 – 214 / 37
4.2.1 / Adjustment of values / 215 – 221 / 37
4.2.2 / Adjustment of quantities / 222 / 38
4.2.3 / Adjustment to a balance of payments basis / 223 – 225 / 38
4.3 / Revisions / 226 – 229 / 39
4.4 / Confidentiality (processing) / 39
4.4.1 / Confidential data / 230 – 231 / 39
4.4.2 / Country confidentiality / 232 – 233 / 40
4.4.3 / Product confidentiality / 234 – 238 / 40
4.5 / Treatment of discontinuities / 239 – 243 / 41
4.6 / Currency conversion (of aggregates) / 244 – 246 / 42
4.7 / Analyses / 43
4.7.1 / Unit value and volume indices / 247 – 256 / 43
4.7.2 / Price indices for trade / 257 – 258 / 44
4.7.3 / Other analyses / 259 – 260 / 45
4.8 / Regional aggregation / 45
4.8.0 / General / 261- 262 / 45
4.8.1 / Geographic zones / 263 – 264 / 46
4.8.2 / Economic zones / 265 – 266 / 46
4.9 / Corrections for working days and seasonal adjustments / 267 – 276 / 46
5. / Dissemination / 48
5.1 / Type of users / 277 – 281 / 48
5.2 / Type of statistics / 282 – 285 / 48
5.3 / Databases / 49
5.3.1 / COMEXT (on line) / 286-294 / 49
5.3.2 / COMEXT CD-ROM / 295-299 / 52
5.3.3 / New Cronos / 300 / 52
5.3.4 / EUROPROMS / 301-302 / 52
5.3.5 / Websites / 303-304 / 53
5.4 / Paper publications / 305-308 / 53
5.5 / User helpdesk / 309 / 54
5.6 / Metadata / 310-315 / 54
6. / Co-operation / 55
6.0 / General / 316 – 318 / 55
6.1 / Data comparison and reconciliation / 319 – 322 / 55
6.2 / Technical assistance / 323 – 330 / 56
List of annexes
Annex 1 / Names and addresses of the competent national authorities
Annex 2 / Community legislation relating to international trade statistics
Annex 3A / Scheme of statistical recording of imports (extra-Eu trade) and arrivals (intra-Eu trade)
Annex 3B / Scheme of statistical recording of exports (extra-Eu trade) and dispatches (intra-Eu trade)
Annex 4 / Exclusions
Annex 5 / Alphanumeric codes
Annex 6 / Statistical territory
Annex 7 / Intrastat thresholds
Annex 8 / Adjustment practices
Annex 9 / Methodology and sources
Annex 10A / Definitions of geographic zones
Annex 10B / Definitions of economic zones
Annex 11 / Series corrected for working days and seasonal variations
Annex 12A / Eurostat data shops
Annex 12B / Publication sales offices
1. / INTRODUCTION
1.0. / Purpose of the user guide
1. / The purpose of this user guide is to assist in the use and analysis of the statistics of trade in goods published by the Statistical Office of the European Communities (Eurostat). The guide describes the basic methodology used for the compilation of statistics, the role of Eurostat in the dissemination of them as well as the sources which are available to the users. It provides also some information on the differences that exist between EU statistics and those published by Member States and by other international organisations.
2. / This publication is aimed at the general user of these statistics and does not require a specialist background to be understood. However, while it is written as a free-standing document, it is part of a wider project (still underway) which provides detail on the methods that should be used for the collection of trade data and on the concepts and definitions on which those data are based .
3. / This edition was completed in May 2002 and reflects the position at that date.
4. / The information contained in this guide does not supersede existing regulations governing international trade statistics and has no legal force. Eurostat (Unit C/4, fax: (352) 43 01 34339) will be pleased to provide further information to users on particular issues not dealt with.
5. / The guide can be read in complete sequence or by accessing particular sections. The most important part of the guide for the user is certainly Section 2 on methods. This describes most of the basic concepts and definitions and explains the variables that the user can exploit. It also addresses the differences that may exist between different sources. The guide is supported by 15 annexes
1.1. / Use of international trade statistics
6. / The need for statistics on trade in goods is self-evident. International trade forms an important part of the world economy and, as such, must be measured reliably and the relevant statistical data should be comparable and widely disseminated .
7. / International trade statistics are an important primary source for most public and privatesector decisionmakers. For example, they help European companies carry out market research and define their commercial strategy; they enable Community authorities to prepare for multilateral and bilateral negotiations within the framework of the common commercial policy and to evaluate the progress of the internal Market and the integration of European economies. In addition, they constitute an essential source of information for balance of payments statistics, national accounts and short-term economic studies.
8. / The statistics satisfy this need in a variety of ways. Users may need either very aggregated or very detailed data on products or partner countries. They may be interested in movements of values of trade in current prices or in movements of the volume of trade at constant prices. Alternatively, their interest may be in the weight of trade or some other quantity measure.
9. / These examples, which are far from exhaustive, show the diversity of the users and their requirements. Eurostat tries to meet these various needs and toadapt tothechanging environment as the progression toward globalisation, in particular, is becoming more and more important.
10. / The system for collecting statistics on the trade in goods has undergone major changes in recent years. The introduction in 1988 of the Combined Nomenclature (CN) and Single Administrative Document (SAD) led to important changes in statistics on trade with nonmember countries. Subsequently, the advent of the Single Market on 1 January 1993, with its removal of customs formalities (the traditional source of statistical data on international trade) between Member States enforced the adoption of a new data collection system, Intrastat, as the basis for statistics on intra-Community trade.
11. / The introduction of Intrastat involved a methodological break with the past and, initially at least, reduced the quality of the statistics. Many efforts have been made to improve the quality of the results but also to rationalise the statistical system and reduce the burden on data providers while maintaining a satisfactory level of information.
1.2. / Links with balance of payments and national accounts
12. / One important use of international trade statistics in the majority of countries is to provide a data source for the estimation of those components of the balance of payments and the national accounts which relate to trade in goods. The most appropriate definitions for these components are set out internationally in the Balance of Payments Manual (Fifth edition) (BPM5) published by the International Monetary Fund and in the System of National Accounts – 1993 (SNA) jointly published by the United Nations, the Commission of the European Communities and other international organisations.
13. / The latest international recommendations which particularly relate to trade statistics are given by International Merchandise Trade Statistics: Concepts and Definitions (Series M, No 52, Rev. 2) published in 1998 (IMTS). While these take account of the recommendations of BPM5 and recommend a move toward harmonisation among different concepts, there are differences between the recommendations for international trade statistics and the goods account of the balance of payments in, for example, coverage, valuation and some special aspects .
14. / These differences reflect both the differing priorities of users and the problems of data collection because of the more detailed requirements of international trade statistics.
15. / It is not the purpose of this guide to discuss in detail the adjustments that must be made to international trade statistics to convert them to figures on a balance of payments basis (where it is the trade statistics that are the source of the balance of payments figures). It is sufficient to note that such conversion is necessary. It may have a substantial effect on the figures, for example from the different methods of valuation used for imports.
1.3. / Institutional framework
1.3.0. / General
16. / The compilation of trade figures rests on a series of Council and/or European Parliament and Commission regulations; the final work is a co-operative effort between Eurostat and the appropriate bodies in the Member States which are responsible for collecting and processing the basic information.
1.3.1. / National authorities
17. / Annex 1 provides a list of competent authorities in each Member State. These are most often the national statistical institutes but also include some national Customs authorities and, for Belgium, even the National Bank. In practice, the division of responsibilities for collection, processing and dissemination of trade data may be quite complex and vary from Member State to Member State. The authorities listed in Annex 1 can be contacted by users of trade data who wish to query some aspects of national data.
1.3.2. / Community authorities
18. / Eurostat (the Statistical Office of European Communities) has the responsibility for overseeing and developing work on international trade statistics of goods.
19. / The main areas for which Eurostat is responsible are as follows:
- Methodology;
- Classifications;
- Dissemination of EU statistics;
- Analysis;
- Co-operation
- EDICOM program.[1]
20. / Eurostat Directorate C operates in this area of responsibility in close collaboration with other Eurostat services and with the other Directorates General with an interest in the use of statistics on international trade in goods.
21. / Co-operation between Member States and Eurostat is full and regular. It has been formalised by the creation of working parties and management committees. Where discussion is directed toward the creation or amendment of Council, European Parliament or Commission regulations serving as a basis for statistics, the procedures naturally follow those appropriate for EU legislation more generally.
1.4. / Legal background
1.4.0. / General
22. / Eurostat is responsible for harmonising Community legislation in the field of statistics on the trading in goods and ensuring that the legislation is applied correctly. The statistics to be provided to Eurostat are therefore based on precise legal texts, directly applicable in the Member States, and on definitions and procedures which have to a large extent been harmonised. Different legislation applies to statistics on trade between Member States (known as “intra-EU trade statistics” or “Intrastat”) and trade between Member States and countries that are not members of the European Union (“extra-EU trade statistics” or “Extrastat”).
23. / Annex 2 gives a complete list of references to the relevant Community legislation. The position, however, is not static with new legislation regularly being updated and adapted to reflect new needs and to further harmonise practices . Indeed, two important Commission regulations were introduced in September 2000 which consolidated and improved the legislation relating to the implementation of the original basic regulations.
24. / The user of trade statistics does not require a detailed knowledge of this legislation. The consequences of the legislation in terms of issues of concern to the user, such as the trade systems and classifications used, are set out in Section 2 – Methods – below.
1.4.1. / Intra-European Union trade
25. / Statistics on trade between the Member States of the European Union are based on Council Regulation (EEC) No3330/91 of 7November 1991 and on the various implementing Regulations which lay down or supplement the rules on methodology, thresholds and questionnaires. The Intrastat system, which was created as a means of collection of these statistics, came into operation on 1 January 1993. Its main features are given in the following paragraphs.
26. / It provides for direct collection of information from companies , which send the relevant national administration a summary declaration for the previous month’s operations. In France and Italy, these declarations also serve statistical and fiscal purposes.
27. / It is based on a close link with the VAT system relating to intraEU trade. The tax authorities of the Member States are required, at least once every quarter, to transmit to the statistical services a list of operators who have made purchases or sales and the value of these operations, so that the exhaustiveness and quality of the statistical data can be checked.
28. / It aims to reduce the burden on companies as far as possible. For all companies involved, Intrastat meant a lighter workload compared with the previous system. The application of a threshold system meant, in practice, that very many operators were exempted from any formalities or the information which they had to provide was significantly reduced. The burden on providers is regularly reviewed.
29. / Measures to modernise data collection production and dissemination have beenintroduced as part of a program called EDICOM. Numerous tools were developed . They were intended for both the information providers (for example, IDEP software helping in the compilation of declarations) and the national statistical services (collection and processing of statistical data).
1.4.2. / Extra-European Union trade
30. / Statistics on the European Union’s trade with non-member countries are currently based on Council Regulation No 1172/95 of 22 May 1995. Two features of Regulation 1172/95 deserve special mention.
31. / The subject of extra-EU trade statistics and the information which they contain are defined with reference to the legislation and customs procedures, whereas the collection of data is based mainly on the Single Administrative Document (SAD).
32. / In order to meet their specific national needs, the Member States collect and process other information which is contained in the SAD but which is not required at Community level. Similarly, particular requirements governing certain fields exist at national level in the absence of harmonisation at Community level. This is particularly so in the case of ‘specific movements', for example, military goods and postal consignments (see 2.4). Some Member States also compile statistics on transit, customs warehouses and free zones.
1.4.3. / Other Community legislation
33. / There is a range of other legislation which has relevance to statistics on trading in goods:
- Council[2] regulations relating to EU statistics, which provide a reference framework for all statistics, including those for trade;
- Customs regulations, particularly the community customs code and regulations for product nomenclature;
- decisions regarding the electronic exchange of information that serves as a reference framework for the Edicom program.
1.4.4. / International recommendations and provisions
34. / In addition to the EU legal requirements there are a number of international recommendations and conventions relevant to this topic although they do not generally have direct legal force. Among them, many recommendations, as noted in 2.0 below, are contained in the United Nations Statistics Division publication International Merchandise Trade Statistics: Concepts and Definitions (Series M, No 52, Rev.2) (IMTS) which represents an international reference publication on this subject.
35. / A set of definitions concerning Customs issues that are relevant for some data on trade statistics is given within the Kyoto Convention (International convention on the simplification and harmonisation of customs procedures).
1.4.5. / National legislation
36. / While EU legislation harmonised most important aspects of the data that are compiled by Member States for transmission to Eurostat, members of the EU have the freedom to publish national statistics on alternative bases. Where such distinctions are important they are discussed in the relevant part of the guide (see 2.17.1).
37. / Member States draw up their own instructions or national regulations. It is not the purpose of the guide to set out this legislation which may be available, however, from the national authorities listed in Annex 1.
2. / METHODS
2.0. / General
38. / The statistics of trading in goods by the European Union (EU) cover both outward flows from Member States and inward flows into Member States. Methodology differs in a number of ways for external trade of the EU (extra-EU trade) or for trade between Member States (intra-EU trade).
39. / In broad terms, outward flows from a Member State to a non-member country are called "exports": outward flows from one Member state to another are called "dispatches". Inward flows from a non-member country are called "imports": inward flows from another Member State are called "arrivals".
40. / There is a range of methodological issues relevant to the definition and measurement of these international trade flows . These are considered fully in the United Nations Statistics Division publication International Merchandise Trade Statistics: Concepts and Definitions (Series M, No 52, Rev.2) (IMTS) which sets out internationally agreed recommendations for the treatment of the various issues.
41. / Both the EU legislation and national practices are for the most part in line with the recent recommendations of the United Nations (1998). But there are some differences. This guide concentrates on describing the Community rules .